Chick here. But not just any chick. One who did all of her dating exclusively in a city of 1.6 million people. And one who uses the word “chick” without shame.

Out of those 1.6 million, let’s say that about half of those are guys. Out of those guys, let’s say half of those, or 800,000, are grown men. Out of those 800,000, I went on at least one first date with 400,000 of them. Give or take a few thousand. This makes me supremely qualified to speak on the five habits women love about men. Buckle up, fellas.

1. Guys who make plans: I’ll say this as politely as I can manage: Don’t call us 10 minutes before a scheduled date and ask us where we want to go. You asked? You pick. And don’t pick Chili’s. Making plans and picking a fun spot shows that you gave a damn about this date, and we like to know you gave a damn. For the record, Chili’s is delicious. It’s just not first date material.
2. Guys who ask us questions: I once had a guy tell me he asked a lot of questions because he knew chicks liked that. Wrong, friend-o. We don’t like being asked questions; we like men to show a genuine interest in getting to know us. Yes, we can tell the difference.
3. Guys who follow through: Are we really still talking about this? Alright, fine. If you say you are going to call, call. If you have no intention of calling, then why say it? There is nothing wrong with ending a date by saying, “It was great meeting you. Take care and drive safe.” If you can’t manage to do that, practice in the mirror. That was not sarcasm.
4. Guys who have a routine: Whether you regularly hit the gym, have a job, or take your dog on a daily walk, the ladies dig a routine. I guess it is because we like to see that there is something in your life that you care about, and you have made a commitment to give that something your time and energy.
5. Guys who are confident: This is the big one. There is nothing, and I mean nothing, that is uglier than a guy who lacks confidence. Bleh! Insecurity is so ugly. How do you make confidence a habit? Know who you are, what you are, and be proud of that. If you can’t do that, then maybe take a little time to work on you before getting back out there into the dating pool. Be sure to do so before you cross the line into cocky. We don’t like that, either.

Though there are plenty of gals out there who live for the grand gestures, it really is the simple things you do that will get you that second date. The good news is that any guy can be the guy who exhibits these habits.